Shopify vs. WooCommerce: Which Is Right for Your Small Business?

Shopify and WooCommerce are two of the most popular ways for small businesses to sell online. Both are capable; neither is "best" for everyone. Here's how they differ in practice, so you can choose the one that fits how you run your business.

Shopify in a nutshell

Shopify is an all-in-one hosted platform. You pay a monthly subscription, and Shopify handles hosting, security, updates and the checkout. You add features through its app store.

• Best for: owners who want to focus on selling, not on maintaining software.
• Strengths: quick to launch, reliable checkout, little technical upkeep.
• Trade-offs: ongoing subscription and app fees, transaction fees unless you use Shopify Payments, and less control over some parts of the platform.

WooCommerce in a nutshell

WooCommerce is a free plugin that turns a WordPress website into a store. You host it yourself, which gives you full control over the site and your data.

• Best for: businesses that already use WordPress, or that want deep customization and content-heavy sites.
• Strengths: flexible, no platform transaction fees, and huge choice of plugins.
• Trade-offs: you're responsible for hosting, updates, backups and security, and premium plugins add up.

Side-by-side: the questions that matter

How technical do you want to be?

If the idea of updating plugins and managing hosting makes you uneasy, Shopify is the calmer choice. If you have (or want) a developer on call, WooCommerce's flexibility pays off.

What will it cost over time?

Shopify's costs are predictable monthly fees plus apps. WooCommerce's costs come from hosting, premium plugins and maintenance. Compare the total yearly cost for your specific needs, not just the headline price.

How much content will you publish?

If blogging, guides and SEO content are central to your marketing, WordPress-based WooCommerce has an edge. Shopify's blog is serviceable but simpler.

What do you sell?

Simple physical products work well on both. Complex product options, bookings, subscriptions or unusual pricing rules may push you toward one or the other depending on the apps or plugins available.

Or something custom?

Some businesses outgrow both and need a custom web app, for example for bookings, quotes, customer portals or dashboards. That's part of our E-Commerce & Digital Products work.

Not sure which to pick?

Our online store packages start from $1,200 on Shopify, WooCommerce or custom builds. Tell us what you sell and we'll recommend the right platform, and design a free homepage concept for your store.